Self-propelled missile



July 3, 1956 H. WARNER ET AL 5 SELF-PROPELLED MISSILE Filed Jan. 30,1952 4 4 32 44 34 /4 0 A? 22 a i 2) 492 J I (1/2":

46 laz /6 44 30 JNVENTOR. ARTHUR H. WARNER WILLIAM B. MC LEAN BY 61mATTORNEY SELF-PROPELLED MISSILE Arthur H. Warner, Pasadena, and WilliamB. McLean, China Lake, Calif.

Application January 30, 1952, Serial No. 269,103

6 Claims. (Cl. 102-50) (Granted under Title 35, U. S.'Code (1952), see.266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by orfor the Government of the United States of America for governmentalpurposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to a self-propelled missile, and moreparticularly to a movable wing apparatus for controlling the stabilityof a missile during flight. The invention is especially applicable toguided or homing missiles of the jet or rocket type, wherein a mass ofpropellant is consumed during the acceleration of the missile, changingthe center of gravity and hence the stability of the missile in suchmanner as to make it diflicult to control its course after thepropellant has been consumed.

In the present invention, the missile is provided with a set of wingswhich are movable as a unit longitudinally along the body of themissile, being maintained in a position toward the rear of the same byinertia during the acceleration period while the propellant is beingconsumed, in order to give the missile the desired stabilitycharacteristics during that period. At the end of the accelerationperiod, when the propellant has been consumed and the center of gravityof the missile has shifted forwardly, the wings are drawn forwardly to anew position wherein they give the missile the desired stabilitycharacteristics for flight and guidance under the changed conditions ofthe missile.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved self-propelledmissile having desired stability characteristics during all stages ofits flight.

A further object is to provide a self-propelled guided missile whereinguidance is facilitated by modification of its stability characteristicsduring the latter part of its flight.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following description.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following description.

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal elevation of a device embodying theinvention, parts being shown in section; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the wing assemblyand its associated parts.

The device shown by way of illustration in the drawings is aself-propelled missile of the homing type, comprising a forward bodyportion 10 which is provided adjacent its head 11 with radial fins 12secured to portion it? by any suitable known means indicateddiagrammatically at 14. The fins 12 may be movable and controlled bymechanism, not shown, within the portion 10 to cause the missile tofollow a path determined by the reaction of said mechanism to anexterior stimulus, such as infrared rays.

The rear portion 16 of the body may be of larger diameter than theforward portion, and connected thereto by a frusto-conical portion 18.As shown, it comprises a States Patent Patented July 3, 1956 combustionchamber formed by a cylindrical wall 20 containing a tubular grain 22 ofpropellant. To the rear of the combustion chamber is a nozzle 24 inventuri form, for discharge of gases produced by combustion of thepropellant 22.

A sleeve 30 is slidably mounted on the outer surface of cylindrical wall20, and carries a plurality of radial stabilizing wings 32. In theposition of the parts shown in full lines in the drawing, the sleeve 30has been moved by inertia to its rearmost position, wherein it restsagainst a stop collar 34 at the rear end of the body.

Each of the wings 32 is made up of two rectangular metal plates, joinedtogether at their edges and with their central portions spaced from eachother toaccommodate a reel 36. Each reel 36 is rotatably mounted on atransverse stud 38 which is fixedly secured in the wing. A spiral clockspring 40 has its inner end fixed in a slot in the stud and its outerend 42 secured in a slot in the drum of the reel, so as to urge the reelof Fig. 2, for example, to rotate in the counterclockwise direction asviewed in that figure. A flexible wire or tape 44 has its rear endsecured at 45 to the reel 36, and its forward end secured at 47 to aneyebolt or the like 46 mounted adjacent the forward end of the rearportion 16. Similar mechanism is associated with each of the wings 32,or at least with two opposed wings, so that the springs 40 at all timesurge the wing assembly forwardly with a balanced force while theeyebolts 46 act as a stop to limit forward movement of the sleeve 30.

It will be seen that while the missile is being accelerated, as inlaunching, inertia will cause the sleeve 30 with its associated wings 32to slide rearwardly against the force of springs 40, until it contactsthe stop 34. It will remain in this position until the propellant 22 isconsumed, whereupon the period of acceleration ends and the missileproceeds under slight deceleration along a flight path determined bymechanism within the body acting on fins 12. As soon as accelerationends, the springs 40 act through Wires 44 to draw the wing assemblyforward to the position indicated in broken lines at 32' in Fig. 1,where further movement is prevented by the member 46. This forwardmovement of the wing assembly, which of course is assisted by thedeceleration of the missile, compensates for the forward shift of thecenter of gravity due to exhaustion of the propellant 22, decreases theundesirably high stability of the missile, and makes it more amenable tosteering by means of the fins 12.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. For example,small rocket propellent charges located in the wing assembly, to befired by mechanism responding to the reversal of acceleration, may besubstituted for the spring mechanism disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:

1. A missile comprising an elongated body, solid propellant within therear portion of said body operative to cause positive acceleration ofthe body while being consumed, a wing assembly movable longitudinally ofthe body, and means rendered inoperative by positive acceleration of thebody for moving said wing assembly forwardly of the body.

2. A missile comprising an elongated body designed to be accelerated bypropellant contained therein, a wing movable longitudinally of the body,and means operable only in the absence of positive acceleration to movesaid assembly movable longitudinally of the body, and yielding meansoperable only in the absence of positive acceleration of the body tomove said wing assembly forwardly of the body.

4. The invention defined in claim 3, comprising in addition movable finsfor steering the missile.

5. The invention defined in claim 3, wherein said yielding meanscomprises spring mechanism mounted in said wing assembly, and tensionmembers connecting said spring mechanism to the body forwardly of thewing assembly.

6. A missile comprising an elongated body, combustible propellant insaid body capable of imparting positive References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,339,188 Frecska May 4, 1920-2,344,957 Anzalone Mar. 28, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 502,394 France Feb. 20,1920

